Kumho WinterCraft Ice vs Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43: the full picture
This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Kumho WinterCraft Ice and Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 appear in 4 tests, though they have not yet met head-to-head in the same test. Head-to-head results carry the most weight here, because surface, weather and test car all change between events and make raw numbers from different tests hard to compare directly.
How the Kumho WinterCraft Ice performs. It takes the win in wet, ice. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 91/100, based on 2 tests.
How the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 performs. It takes the win in dry, snow, noise / comfort, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 92/100, based on 2 tests.
What this means for you. Category wins matter more than the overall score when your driving is weighted toward one condition — a wet-climate commuter should follow the wet braking column, while a high-mileage driver should follow wear and rolling resistance. Also check that both tires are actually offered in your size and load rating: performance can shift between sizes, and availability differs between the European and North American markets.
Verdict
The Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 is the stronger all-round choice, leading in dry and Tire Lab Score. The Kumho WinterCraft Ice still wins on wet, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.
Which one should you buy?
- You prioritise wet
- You prioritise ice
Choose Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 if
- You prioritise dry
- You prioritise snow
- You prioritise noise / comfort
Test profile
| Metric | Kumho WinterCraft Ice | Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Nordic Winter | Nordic Winter |
| Type | Winter | Winter |
| Tests used | 2 | 2 |
| Best rank | #1 | #1 |
| Avg rank | 10.2 | 8.8 |
| Latest test | 2025 | 2020 |
| Tire Lab Score | 90.8 | 92 |
Tire Lab Score
Kumho WinterCraft Ice
Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43
Performance overview
Category-by-category results
| Category | Kumho WinterCraft Ice | Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💧Wet | Avg rank 8.8 2 | Avg rank 10.2 1 | Kumho WinterCraft Ice |
| ☀️Dry | Avg rank 13.0 | Avg rank 11.0 | Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 |
| ❄️Snow | Avg rank 9.4 | Avg rank 8.5 11 | Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 |
| 🧊Ice | Avg rank 7.7 1 | Avg rank 8.6 1 | Kumho WinterCraft Ice |
| 🔇Noise / Comfort | Avg rank 12.5 | Avg rank 8.5 | Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 |
| 🔋Efficiency | No data | Avg rank 2.0 1 | Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 |
💧 Wet: Kumho WinterCraft Ice vs Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43
The Kumho WinterCraft Ice wins this category with an average rank of 8.8, compared to 10.2 for the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43.
☀️ Dry: Kumho WinterCraft Ice vs Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43
The Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 wins this category with an average rank of 11.0, compared to 13.0 for the Kumho WinterCraft Ice.
❄️ Snow: Kumho WinterCraft Ice vs Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43
The Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 wins this category with an average rank of 8.5, compared to 9.4 for the Kumho WinterCraft Ice.
🧊 Ice: Kumho WinterCraft Ice vs Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43
The Kumho WinterCraft Ice wins this category with an average rank of 7.7, compared to 8.6 for the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43.
🔇 Noise / Comfort: Kumho WinterCraft Ice vs Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43
The Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 wins this category with an average rank of 8.5, compared to 12.5 for the Kumho WinterCraft Ice.
🔋 Efficiency: Kumho WinterCraft Ice vs Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43
The Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 wins this category with an average rank of 2.0, compared to no data for the Kumho WinterCraft Ice.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better in the wet, Kumho WinterCraft Ice or Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43?
Across independent wet-braking tests, the Kumho WinterCraft Ice ranks higher on average than the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43.
Which has shorter dry braking distance?
The Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Kumho WinterCraft Ice across the tests where both appeared.
Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?
On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 ranks better than the Kumho WinterCraft Ice.
How many tests were used in this comparison?
Kumho WinterCraft Ice appears in 2 independent tests, Nexen Winguard Ice Plus WH43 in 2.
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Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →
